Update on the Free House – The Tisdale House in New Bern Saved

OHU50K Notes – Free House to be Moved

Thanks to Matthew for submitting this free house. The Tisdale House, located at 1312 Broad Street in New Bern, North Carolina, was built in the early 1900’s when the area was farmland outside of the city limits. Like the children’s book, The Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton, after more than 100 years later, New Bern has grown up around the Tisdale House. The three-story home currently is plunked in a strip of commercial businesses on a lot scheduled for a new recreation center.

Update:

“It took $200,000 dollars and a village to move the home but the journey did not stop there.

The house is over a hundred years old and has been renovated for the past year (and a half).

Since the Tisdale House arrived at its new address workers have been busy renovating the historic house.

Many people may remember the Tisdale House as the beautiful, white, home sitting at he corner of Neuse Blvd.

In its new home, the house is being restored to its original beauty.

In May of 2023, it was relocated from the corner of Neuse Blvd and Third Avenue to Rhem Avenue with renovations made inside and out.

Homeowner Daniel Tower says for the last year they’ve made great progress.

As of now they are removing the siding from the entire house, replacing the roof, and adding to the third floor.

I’m happy with the pace of progress. It doesn’t frustrate me it’s just “What are we working on this week?” And when you get passed one part then you can go on to the next one.

Tower says this project could easily cost an additional hundred thousand dollars.

But says it will all be worth it.

Well, construction has gotten a lot more expensive, that’s true. But this project is absolutely worth it.

The home will include four bedrooms, three bathrooms and the original five fireplaces.

With a memorable addition being added to the side of the house.” Per News abc12

The City of New Bern is offering the this free house to a new owner, but the house needs to be moved. All expenses involved with the relocation of the house are the responsibility of the new owner. Below are the requirements that need to be met before submitting your proposal. Call 252-639-2701 with any questions.

Proposals must include the following:

– A general description on why you are interested in the house and what your plans are to remodel.

– Proposed location of where the house would be relocated to.

– Estimates from qualified movers on the cost to move the structure to the new location.

A Performance Bond, a Letter of Credit to the New Bern Preservation Foundation or a bank check from a recognized bank made out to the New Bern Preservation Foundation is required to cover the full relocation cost of the house.

Proposals are due to the New Bern Preservation Foundation by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.

Email proposals to [email protected].

Family History

The Tisdale family was one of the founding pioneers in New Bern, having settled there before 1800. Don’t blame the messenger, but in 1800, Col. Nathan Tisdale owned eight slaves. Of course, this free house wasn’t built by Nathan’s grandson, George Tisdale, until almost a hundred years later. Lieut. George F. Tisdale (1838-1913) served in the Confederate army during the US Civil War. He was a watchmaker by trade and married Elizabeth Anderson (1852-1910) in 1892, after which the couple built this house.

After the death of George (reported as “senile exhaustion”), Edward Carter Tisdale (1888-1962) inherited the house. I believe he was a nephew of George. Carter, as he was known, owned a florist company, and married his much younger wife, Nellie Perkins (1903-1979), in 1929. The couple had three daughters, Sarah, Nellie and Mary.

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